Hi! I'm a freelance writer who also tested positive for high risk HPV. I'm seeing so much confusion out there on this subject. I also feel there isn't enough information given to women and I want to do a series of articles to clear up misconceptions and provide education. I have secured a couple of interviews with top doctors in the HPV/women's health field. I would love to tap into the major questions those of you on this board have when it comes to this virus. If any of you would like, post to this thread the ONE question you would ask a top doctor about HPV if you had the opportunity. Thanks for your help!
The ONE question I know a lot of women would like to ask is "Does HPV ever go away...like once you have HPV are you always contagious?? There are many debates on this question....Thanks in advance.....
Excellent question. I'll make sure I ask that one in my interview next week! I'm hoping to get a lot of top questions that women have on their minds from this board. Thanks for responding. I will be posting what I find after my interviews back here for everyone's information!
Please ask why they don't test for it automatically when you have problems with dysplasia. I was told I probably had it. Now I am demanding to be tested.
Why is this STD a hush, hush (seems to be kept a secret) in high schools, even at the event of a young women's first pap smear, ect?
Good question! Why was I never told the real reason for getting pap smears other then checking for STD's. Always thought cervical cancer was something passed down from genes...
Never knew there was an STD that could cause a woman cancer...
This is another great question. Doctors don't seem to willing to talk about it even to their patients. I had to drag it out of my doctor and he still didn't tell me I'd tested positive for a high risk strain. Only found that out when I switched to another doctor because she's willing to have me on a regimine of folic acid and vitamin A that has proven very successful. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing - I HAVE to be proactive. I'm hoping others will post any questions they might have. I've also gotten a lot of questions just from reading this thread! Thanks for posting!
Id like to have a copy of the results of this, My question would be, How should you interact with your sexual partner after being infected, and is oral sex out of the question?
I have heard there is a vaccine that should be ready late 2005 but there are only a few sites with information on it. When I asked my Dr she said that was correct but they were still a way's out. Can you find out more information on it...who would be able to receive the vaccine, if you have HPV will this work on you, when will testing start etc.
Thanks
Thanks for the great questions! I'm seeing lots of confusion regarding condom use if you are in a relationship as well as HPV's effect on your mouth/throat if you engage in oral sex! I think part of the problem is that even the doctor's don't have all the answers. I'm hoping to find the latest research and information on everything to do with HPV. Again - thank you all for your input!
I too am confused about condom use. I had a LEEP in January and there was some evidence of HPV in my colpo results. so since the LEEP i have been using condoms with my boyfriend of two years. I am waiting on my results from my follow up pap. I also have been taking vitamins. I'm wondering if condoms can help prevent another abnormal pap if you have the cancer causing agent.
I have read many times that cervical cancer is sexually transmtted. In reality though it is HPV that is transmitted sexually that ends up being cancer. So what about those that have dysplasia or cancer without HPV? Do doctors assume they have HPV because sometimes it isn't always detected?
If you are in a relationship where the both of you are comitted to one another, you cannot pass the HPV strain back and forth. Unless your partner smokes and smokes around you then yes it can affect the abnormal cells to appear again.
HPV actually affects every female differently. Some woman stay only at Mild dysplasia while others test for Moderate and clop shows Severa. It all depends on your lifestyle.
As far as oral sex, I believe it won't pose a great risk because HPV loves the cervix more then anything. If anyone hears other please let me know because this does not stop me from pleasing my man.
I've submitted ten questions to this top doctor at Mercy Hospital. I should have my interview answers in a few days. I have another doc I'll be interviewing in the next week and I'll try to get some more answers to other questions that have been posted. Some of these are tough, I'm sure you all know. I just don't think they know some of the answers such as what percentage of HPV can be transmitted without actual intercourse. That would be one tough study to do and HPV is a mystery in a lot of areas. I am trying to get the "latest and most up to date" info out there!
I was diagnosed with gential warts first and the doctor told me after the warts were gone i could not spread the virus, she lied to me i gave it unknowingly to another person, after the warts went away, i would never do that if i knew that i was still contagious. Then she didnt even test me for high risk hpv, come to find out thats what i had, when they went to go do the biospy, after i had come back with an abnormal pap, they told me it was pretty serious, i am only 19 and im looking at having cervical cancer, this is the scariest time in my life, doctors keep giving me the runaround, because they dont want to say for sure if ill be fine or not.If the doctor would have originally tested me when she discovered i had GW's then maybe the lesions would not be so bad right now, because it was about 7 months later that i found out i had high risk, which can very quickly turn into cervical cancer, and if left untreated can kill you. Now I am trying my best to to find out all the information i can, but so far some doctors have given me alot of trouble finding the truth. Well please ask the doctors that after i have treatments for lesions caused by high risk hpv, will i continously have to have treatments, until they pretty much have to remove my cervix, i want some honest answers. And what are the real chances that women can die from complications caused by this high risk hpv. You are doing a good thing by writing this article, if you want to know anymore email me, ill be happy to chat with you.
Last edited by moderator2; 06-10-2005 at 05:47 AM.
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